This invention relates to an improvement to a level winder for double-bearing fishing reel.
In a fishing line guide member of a conventional level winder for a fishing reel, the fishing line is let out through a guide hole in the line guide member while the line is let out. However, due to an increasing frictional resistance generated when the line pasese through the guide hole, the paying out of the line is hindered thereby the paying out speed and distance are reduced. Therefore, it becomes difficult to perform a speedy casting of the lure at a predetermined distance.
A known level winder of this kind has been devised to eliminate the drawbacks. The level winder is explained in U.S. Pat. No. 4,557,429 which is based on Japanese Patents with Serial Numbers 58-122866 and 107894. In order to pay out a line during fishing, an operating lever of a clutch plate of a clutch means is pressed downward to move the clutch plate to its inner position. Consequently, an operating projections disposed on the clutch plate urge an operating plate outward to disengage a pinion from the spool shaft and thereby enables a spool to rotate. At the same time, an operating arm of the clutch plate turns an operating cam to rotate a slidable member by a guide cylinder so that locking pins which are provided in line guide arms and are engaged with a locking recess may be disengaged therefrom.
As a result, the guide arms are moved away from each other by the force of a spring toward the frame bases. Accordingly, the line can be paid out without coming into contact with cylindrical members attached to the line guide arms.
However, the structure of level winder for the fishing reel of the conventional type publicized in U.S. Patent Specification may bring forth the following drawbacks.
1. The locking pin provided in the line guide arms may fail to make proper engagement with or disengagement from the locking recess due to wear and tear of edge portions of the locking recess through frequent shifting of the locking pin in and out of the locking recess.
2. When an operating arm of the clutch plate turns an operating cam mounted on the guide cylinder to rotate the slidable member, an engagement between the operating cam and the operating arm may not be properly performed due to a slip-sliding therebetween with a result that a proper rotation of the guide cylinder may not be obtained.
3. The structure of clutch means is so complicated as to comprise various parts requiring precision accuracy such as a clutch plate having an operating arm, a dead point spring, an operating projection, a pinion mounted on a spool shaft and engageable with a driving gear of a handle shaft together with operating members etc. Therefore, an efficient production of the fishing reel with high yields may not be obtained.